Girls soccer dynasty: Pickett鈥檚 formula for St. Johns Country Day鈥檚 continued success
ORANGE PARK, Fla. (BVM) — The last time St. Johns Country Day girls soccer lost a playoff game, the iPhone 4s was the hottest piece of technology and Snapchat wasn鈥檛 even released. To date their last postseason defeat more specifically, it was 2011.
Since then, the Spartans are in the midst of the most potent streak in Florida state history. This February marked their ninth straight state championship and 45th FHSAA playoff win in a row.
Before St. Johns Country Day came storming in, St. Thomas Aquinas won seven straight championships from 1993-99. That was the previous record that the Spartans have already trumped by two seasons and counting. Head coach Mike Pickett said that this historic run never gets old, and each win feels different from the last.
Not only are the Spartans winning state titles; it may be the fashion they are doing it in that is even more impressive. This year they thwarted St. Petersburg Shorecrest, 4-0, in the championship, finishing the season 24-1. The 2019 campaign saw them finish 21-2, beating Lakeland Christian, 1-0, in the final showdown. In 2018, they ousted Miami Country Day, 6-0, in the championship, concluding their season 26-0.
Anyone who has been a member of Pickett鈥檚 system has been a stranger to losing. After taking over the team in 1999, the coach has yet to amass 100 losses while at the same time racking up more than 400 wins. This is considered a remarkable turnaround though, as the program hadn鈥檛 had this winning culture until coach Pickett took the reins.
鈥淭he program had been somewhat successful before I got there but they were very 鈥榠ntramuralish鈥� if I can say,鈥� Pickett said. 鈥淥ne game a week, no practice Friday, watching the boys play instead of practicing when they had games.鈥�
Pickett says that the first five to six years of his tenure consisted of beginning that cultural transformation. It came with growing pains as they lost athletes who didn鈥檛 want the sport to become that serious. Enduring that and winning 12 state titles since 2005 has been well worth the reward.
As the wins began to pile up and continue to mount, Pickett discussed what it has taken to remain as successful as they have been. Yearly changes between their weight training and practice schedule were some of the things that Pickett credits for their winning ways. Their team transitioned from the weight room to plyo balls and bands, strengthening player鈥檚 cores without bulking them up. The practice schedule has increasingly featured more rest and recovery.
鈥淓arly in my career it was take no days off, work hard and then work harder than that,鈥� Pickett said. 鈥淎s I got older I learned a lot…recovery is ACL prevention and recovery. These kids play 60-70 games a year between club and high school, so we rest them to keep them healthy and excited about playing the game.鈥�
Some of the changes that have led to their triumph have happened more naturally. One example that Pickett claims stands out is dealing with nerves before big games. Since their first championship game appearance in 2004 to their current streak in 2020, a lot has changed mentally for his team.
鈥淣erves are always there, but we have a massive advantage in that we have been there before,鈥� Pickett said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e experienced the environment, we know what to expect…we are past the 鈥榳e are just happy to be here鈥� stage.鈥�
Through all of these adjustments, Pickett is most grateful for his school district鈥檚 infrastructure. Being a private school, they have students from pre-K through 12th grade. This gives coach Pickett control of his athletes from the sixth grade and on, compared to public schools that only get their players from 9th to 12th grade. They have the opportunity to learn in his system and be groomed by him for seven years.
鈥淢y senior class that just graduated two years ago had three kids with national championships, and two of them started for me in the sixth grade,鈥� Pickett said. 鈥淭he longevity we have with these players to develop them really stands out.鈥�
Like any truly great coach though, Pickett has made sure that his players aren鈥檛 only shaping up to be quality soccer players, but also outstanding women in the real world. He says that their on-field efforts are largely outweighed by their off-field contributions, where his team is committed to community service.
Partnering with an area church, the St Johns girls soccer team contributes to the Cleveland Arms area of Jacksonville, a heavy-crime area. They often go and feed the kids, study with them, and during holidays they donate and package meals for the less fortunate. In the winter time they also host a coat, sock and toy drive to give back to this area.
鈥淔or me it鈥檚 about being a servant, giving back and being thankful and blessed for what they have,鈥� Pickett said. 鈥淚 want them to learn more about life than they ever do about the game of soccer.鈥�
While St. Johns continues to build women of character and ride their wave of success, there鈥檒l be a little bit of added motive behind their grind. While it won鈥檛 be discussed, it鈥檒l be in the back of everyone鈥檚 mind.
鈥淣obody wants to be the team to lose or break the championship run,鈥� Pickett said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 like to talk about it, but nobody wants to be that team … it’s definitely an extra motivator.鈥�
